Deferred action battery



Dec. 22, 1959 F. EVERETT DEFERRED ACTION BATTERY Filed Aug. 25, 1945 I in lllllll-lllh INVENTOR FRANKLIN L. EVERETT ATTORNEY United States Patent DEFERRED ACTION BATTERY Franklin L. Everett, Silver Spring, Md., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application August 25, 1945, Serial No. 612,529

3 Claims. (Cl. 136-90) This invention relates generally to delayed action batteries, commonly known as reserve batteries, and more particularly to an improved anode cup construction for such batteries.

One object of the present invention is to provide an anode cup by the use of which the activation time of a reserve battery will be materially reduced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character which is simple in arrangement and which will be highly efficient in operation.

Further objects of the invention will become evident as the description proceeds.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of my improved anode cup construction with the cathode sleeve therein;

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation showing, in dotted lines, the cathode sleeve in operative position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cup, with parts broken away, showing the manner of assembling the elements, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the new anode cup construction.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 1% indicates generally the outlines of the case of a deferred action battery of the general type disclosed in the patent application of Paul Marsal, Ser. No. 501,001, filed September 2, 1943. The case provides mounting for a 8" battery stack 11, the leaves of which may be arranged vertically or horizontally.

The anode cup forming the subject matter of my invention is shown generally at 13. The cup is formed of zinc or other suitable electrode material (Fig. l) or is made of steel and is coated with electrode material 13a (Fig. 4). The cup 13 is provided with a side wall 14 and an integral bottom wall 15. As best seen in Fig. 1, the side wall 14 is formed, near the bottom wall 15, with opposed openings 16 and 17, said openings defining bosses 18 and 19, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

Normally contained within the anode cup 13 is a cathode sleeve 20 which is formed of electrode material (Fig. 1) or of steel or plastic coated with electrode material 20a such as copper, gold, carbon, or other conductive material that is relatively immune to attack by the electrolyte (Fig. 4). As best seen in Fig. 2 the sleeve 20 is formed at its lower end with upwardly directed slots 21 which receive the bosses 18 and 19, the bosses, however, being out of actual contact with the sleeve. In order to insulate the anode sleeve from the upper surface of the bottom wall 15, I provide an insulating disk 22. To retain the cathode sleeve 20 in place 2,918,517 Patented Dec. 22, 1959 within the cup 13, the upper rim of the cup is spun over, as shown at 23 in Fig. 1 to hold an insulating disk 24 on top of the cathode sleeve.

In use, the openings 16 and 17 in the side wall 14 of my improved anode cup will function to reduce the activation time of the battery. That is to say, when the frangible ampoule 25 containing the electrolyte in the cup 13 is broken, electrolyte will be permitted to escape directly through the openings 16 and 17 into the B stack 11 for assuring prompt activation. The bosses 18 and 19 will serve effectively to direct the electrolyte flow outwardly and to prevent draining of electrolyte between the cathode sleeve 20 and the cup.

The new anode cup is simple in construction and provides for rapid activation of the battery. The cup may be assembled easily by inserting the insulating disk 22 into the cup member 14, and then inserting the cathode sleeve 20, as shown in Fig. 3, care being taken to insure that the slots 21 register with the bosses 18 and 19. The upper disk 24 is then placed on top of sleeve 20, and the upper end portion of the cup body 14 is spun over, as previously described.

I claim:

1. In a deferred action battery having a B battery stack, an anode cup mounted within the stack and comprising a cup body having a plurality of openings in its side wall, a cathode sleeve Within the cup body and insulated therefrom and having hollow bosses extending into said first openings, and a frangible ampoule supported within the sleeve for containing an electrolyte, whereby electrolyte from said ampoule may flow through said openings into the stack.

2. In a deferred action battery having a B battery stack, an anode cup mounted within the stack and comprising a cup body having a plurality of openings in its side wall, a hollow boss on the cup body around each opening and extending into the cup body, a cathode sleeve within the cup body and insulated therefrom and having slots extending upwardly from the lower end of the sleeve for registering with said openings and receiving said bosses, and a frangible ampoule supported within the sleeve for containing an electrolyte, whereby electrolyte from the ampoule may flow directly into the stack through said openings and slots.

3. In a deferred action battery having a B battery stack, an anode cup mounted within the stack and comprising a cup body having a plurality of openings in its side wall, a hollow boss on the cup body around each opening and extending into the cup body, a cathode sleeve within the cup body and insulated therefrom and having slots extending upwardly from the lower end of the sleeve for registering with said openings and receiving said bosses, and a frangible ampoule supported within the sleeve for containing an electrolyte, whereby electrolyte from the ampoule may flow directly into the stack through said openings and slots, and whereby said bosses prevent escape of electrolyte from between the sleeve and the inner surface of the cup body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A DEFFERED ACTION BATTERY HAVING A "B" BATTERY STACK, AN ANODE CUP MOUNTED WITHIN THE STACK AND COMPRISING A CUP BODY HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS IN ITS SIDE WALL, A CATHODE SLEEVE WITHIN THE CUP BODY AND INSULATED THEREFROM AND HAVING HOLLOW BOSSES EXTENDING INTO SAID FIRST OPENINGS, AND A FRANGIBLE AMPOULE SUPPORTED WITHIN THE SLEEVE FOR CONTAINING AN ELECTROLYTE. WHEREBY ELECTROLYTE FROM SAID AMPOULE MAY FLOW THROUGH SAID OPENINGS INTO THE STACK. 